Jared Summers, MBA 2009-Sustainment Implementation Lead for F-35 Support Systems

Larina Kase, ’02 M.B.A., ’03 Psy.D., a professional public speaker and author, is the College Outstanding Alumni Award winner from the School of Professional Psychology. 

Kase is a recognized expert in peak performance, anxiety and stress management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Her unique approach is regularly seen in media such as Inc., Entrepreneur, SELF, and on national TV and radio. She is the author or co-author of seven books, including The New York Times bestseller The Confident Speaker. She has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and executives from companies such as Verizon, Intel, Morgan Stanley, and Ernst & Young.

Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kase has provided motivational keynotes and seminars for various organizations across North America.

Stephanie Goff (MBA'02) works as an assistant engineer for Logan County Engineer. She recently received her registration as a professional surveyor in the State of Ohio. Stephanie also received her registration as a professional engineer in the State of Ohio, allowing her to be dual registered.

Malav Raiji (MBA'01) was named vice president at J.P. Morgan Chase in August 2004. Working in the Jersey City, New Jersey office, Raiji is responsible for executing strategic finance projects. Prior to this new position, he worked for BearingPoint (formerly KPMG Consulting) and served as a consultant to J.P. Morgan Chase and other corporations, providing financial technology consulting. Crediting his education, Raiji said, “Wright State taught me to have a very strong work ethic and to keep my feet firmly on the ground.” Within nine months of his graduation from WSU, Raiji was married. He and his wife had their first child, a son, in July 2004.

Robert Dils (MBA'96) is a supervisor at Delphi Inc. He also has two grandchildren.

Joletta McQuinn (B.S.B.'90,MBA'93) was recently promoted to vice president of human resources at Setzer Corporation. She has been employed at Setzer Corporation since 1997 and formerly held the position of manager of human resources.
Bret Spinks (B.S.B., ’92 M.B.A.) joined Cobra Compliance Systems as vice president, sales and marketing, in 1992.

Kathryn A. Pothier (MBA'90) just celebrated her first anniversary as a senior vice president of commercial banking at Citizen’s Bank in Oakland County, Michigan. At Citizen’s Bank, Pothier is part of the leadership team for Southeast Michigan, an area in which the bank is experiencing rapid growth, recently opening two offices hubs and 14 new branches. Prior to her move to Citizen’s Bank, Pothier worked in commercial banking at Bank One for 13 years. Her community activities include serving as the chair of the board of directors for the Children’s Leukemia Foundation, and as a mentor with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. In 2002, Pothier was named a distinguished nominee for Executive Woman of the Year

Brian G. Cooper is chief operating officer of Cox Ohio Publishing, Inc., and general manager of the Dayton Daily News. Cox Ohio Publishing publishes the Dayton Daily News, the Springfield News-Sun, The Middletown Journal, the Journal News (Hamilton), five weekly newspapers, and various Web sites in the Dayton/Miami Valley and Southwest Ohio Previously, Cooper served as senior vice president of Cox Newspapers, Inc., a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., in Atlanta. Cooper was responsible for overseeing Cox's nine community newspapers, the newspapers' financial operations, as well as the company's interest in Cox CustomMedia and PAGAS Mailing Services. Cooper also served as a representative on the boards of Trader Publishing Company and Agora Holdings, corporate parent of Poland's largest daily newspaper.

Active in civic organizations, Cooper has been a board member for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta and the Center for the Visually Impaired Foundation. He is currently treasurer of Inspired Practices in Early Education, Inc., a nonprofit organization working to improve the quality of early care and education in Georgia.

Donna Poseidon (MBA'84) was recently named as Chief of Staff for Worldwide Customer Service at NCR in Dayton.  In this new position, Poseidon oversees the division’s global Marketing organization and select other global staff functions to drive consistent execution around the world.  In addition, Poseidon provides project management support for select human resources initiatives.  Before taking this new position, Poseidon held leadership roles in service and product marketing, strategic planning, pricing and marketing communications.  Poseidon celebrates her 25th service anniversary with NCR this year.

JoAnn B. Martin (MBA'83) is the chief financial officer of Summit Insurance Company, a health insurance company that Martin was instrumental in forming and managing. After graduating from Wright State, Martin worked as a financial analyst for Dayton Power and Light, and then as a staff accountant for Children’s Medical Center. In 1983, she joined Upper Valley Medical Center, starting out as a staff accountant and was then promoted to director of accounting services and then controller. As CFO of Summit Insurance Company, which is owned by Upper Valley Medical Center, she currently is responsible for all major fiscal transactions and also for about half of the company’s departments. A contributor to the Raj Soin School of Business, Martin also utilizes the Wright State placement office for potential job candidates due to the high caliber of its graduates. Martin is married and lives in Oakwood with her husband Terry, her nephew Aaron, her niece Liz and her cat Bacall. She is a member of Oakwood United Methodist Church.

Richard M. Wegmann is chairman and CEO of BusinessLabs, a provider of leading-edge e-Commerce and enterprise business management solutions to mid-sized companies in the manufacturing, distribution, and service industries.

As a division of Digital Concepts, Inc., BusinessLabs has implemented numerous design and development projects for commercial enterprises. The company provides expertise in the implementation of workgroup technologies, particularly solutions based on Lotus, Microsoft, and IBM products and systems.

Wegmann continues to serve Wright State as a member of the Wright State University Foundation Board of Trustees. He is a lifetime member of the Wright State University Alumni Association and has assisted with the Corporate Appeal in various capacities. Wegmann has also provided guidance and input on the undergraduate and graduate programs of the Raj Soin College of Business.

Wegmann serves on the boards of several community organizations, including the Dayton Ballet, the Engineering and Science Foundation, the Rotary Club of Dayton, and the Electronics Equipment Manufacturer's Group. He is also a member of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, where he received a meritorious Service Award in 1994.

Favorite Wright State Memory:
"Receiving the 1999 WSU Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Award."

Favorite Quote:
"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries." Winston Churchill

Future Plans:
"To continue to balance family, work, social, and volunteer activities."'

Ann K. Hopkins (B.S.'75, MBA'81) is the administrator for Samaritan North Health Center in Dayton, the outpatient center of Good Samaritan Hospital.  Hopkins is responsible for the operations at the 303,000-square-foot outpatient center, as well as the radiology, physical therapy and outpatient services offered at Good Samaritan Hospital.  Her achievements include the implementation of a highly successful strategic plan for world-class diagnostic services at Samaritan North Health Center.  Due to her focus on creating a culture of customer satisfaction, Samaritan North has reported a customer satisfaction rating above the 90th percentile for five years

Donna J. Back is the recently retired director of financial management and comptroller, Aeronautical Systems Center, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Back was responsible for the multibillion-dollar financial management of weapon systems acquisition and sustainment programs, including B-1, B-2, C-17, F-22, F-15, F-16, and numerous subsystems. She supervised over 700 people at Wright-Patterson and Brooks Air Force Bases. Back's awards include the Air Force Exceptional Civilian Service Award and being named the Outstanding Financial Director in the Aeronautical Systems Center.

In her community, Back has served on the Beavercreek School District Advisory Council and Strategic Planning Committee. In addition, she has served in leadership positions for the American Society of Military Comptrollers, the Air Force Executive Enhancement Advisory Group, the Wright-Patterson Heritage Benefit Board, and Culture Works. Back also serves on the Raj Soin College of Business Corporate Advisory Board at Wright State University.

Future plans:
After a 33-year Air Force career, concentrate on work-life balance.

Favorite quote:
"Count success by not how high you climb, but by how many you take along." Will Rose

Best advice:
Find a coach or mentor.

Michael P. Holtz (B.S.'77,MBA' 78) formed a privately held company in early 2003 called MPH Hotels, Inc., which develops, constructs, manages and sells limited service hotels throughout the United States. Holtz has developed over 120 hotels in the U.S. over the past seventeen years as president and CEO of Arlington Hospitality, Inc. During his tenure with Arlington, he developed nearly 100 AmeriHost Inn hotels and was responsible for the creation and growth of the AmeriHost Inn hotel brand. MPH Hotels, Inc., based in North Barrington, Illinois, is designed to continue this same strategy as a private company – develop limited-service hotels, typically 70 to 120 rooms in secondary markets; operate these for a period of time; then sell the hotel and realize the potential gain. In less than two years, Holtz has acquired two hotels, developed, constructed and opened one hotel and has two other hotels under construction that will open shortly.

Robert J. Duplain (MBA'74) is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for FKI Logistex Automation, Inc.  In this position, Duplain is responsible for all financial operations, human resources, information systems, and legal services.  In the fall of 2003 he assumed leadership of the company's sourcing activities for its three midwestern plants.  The common thread with all of Duplain's responsibilities is the desire to lead and the ability to successfully communicate with the company's internal and external audiences.  Duplain's leadership has helped FKI Logistex Automation, a capital goods manufacturer, maintain profitability and positive cash flow even with reduced sales volume and the competitive pressures of the past two years.

Tom Carlisle (MBA'75) professor of industrial engineering technology at Sinclair Community College, was one of three honored as Outstanding Industrial Technology Faculty Members by the National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT).

David S. Gutridge is CEO of MTC Technologies, Inc. (MTCT), a $200 million provider of engineering and information technology services to the Department of Defense and various intelligence agencies.

Before joining MTCT, Gutridge spent 10 years at Dayco Corporation (later renamed Day International) that culminated in his serving as president and chief operating officer. After the company was sold to M.A. Hanna in 1987, he served as president and COO for the bulk of the combined company. After joining MTCT, Gutridge assumed responsibility for all manufacturing operations including directing the start-up of a new technology plastics business, and the financing, acquisition, and disposition activities for the seven businesses affiliated with the company. In June 2002, MTCT became a public company after only 79 days, a virtually unheard of feat. Barron's listed the initial public offering as one of the top 10 IPOs of 2002.

Gutridge was founding chair of the Premier Health Partners Board of Trustees and has chaired the boards of Good Samaritan Hospital, the Wright State University Foundation, and the advisory board for the Raj Soin College of Business.

Favorite WSU Memory:
Helping to establish the first student government.

Future Plans and Goals:
My immediate plans and goals are centered around making MTC Technologies a great investment for our shareholders. Longer-term goals are centered around retirement and enjoying our grandchildren.

Best Advice:
Always have a back-up plan.

Steven Christian (B.S.'68, MBA'71) recently completed a one-year term as president of Kappa Beta Delta International Honour Society. The honour society is for a two-year program accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs. Steven is currently a professor of accountancy and finance at Jackson Community College in Jackson, Michigan.